Korean Job Discussion Forums

dreamscape · Joined: 05 Aug 2004

I'm having an ongoing battle with my school. I agreed to stay for 9 months beyond my initial one-year committment but they are still refusing to give me full value for a one-way ticket to Canada. The school is saying that 700,000 won (minus income taxes, which I don't feel I should be paying on a flight) is sufficient for a flight to Toronto, despite my numerous quotes from travel agencies putting the figure at over 1,000,000 won. What can I do? I am becoming more and more frustrated over this. More than the money, it's a matter of principle. I came to Korea with the express (and written) understanding that I would not have to pay for my flight to or from Korea.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

Have you consulted the Labour Board?

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

poet13 · Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:19 pm Post subject:

dreamscape. I'm not sure why there's an issue. Are they refusing to puchase the ticket for you, instead offering money? If that's not the case, just ask them to purchase a ticket for you. If they refuse that, then you're best bet is the labor board. In addition, if they have withheld anything else from you, such as your Statement of withholding receipt for income tax, then you can hold that over their heads. I have discovered that behind the bluster and bluff, there is a real fear of the tax authorities. Be careful though that you dont give the impression that you are balckmailing them. Simply discuss with them the fact that you need to clear up any loose ends before you leave...let them assume the rest.

dreamscape · Joined: 05 Aug 2004

Because I signed an extension, the school wants to give me the money now instead of buying me a ticket when I finish. They didn't tell me they were doing this, they just deposited about 650,000 (they said it was 700,000 but the difference must have been due to taxes) into my account and said that they'd paid me for my return ticket. I said that that wasn't an acceptable amount and offered to return the money and have them simply pay for my ticket when I leave, which they refused.

They've claimed everything as an excuse, from the fluctuating exchange rate to the fact that the time I'm leaving (July) is more expensive than when I arrived (October), so they will only give me value for what a flight would cost in October.

dreamscape · Joined: 05 Aug 2004

does whypaymore.co.kr have an English page?

poet13 · Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:23 pm Post subject:

dreamscape. i understand. that sucks. I dont know what valuable advice I could offer, and i'm not sure labor woudl care much about 1,2, or three hundred thousand won. Im sure i will be in the same situation in september when i am finished.....good luck with it. if you talk to labor, i would love to hear what the resolution, if any is.....

Paddycakes · Joined: 05 May 2003 Location: Seoul

The way I see it is this:

Airline tickets to Canada right now are very cheap.

However, July is peak season, and the same ticket will be * A LOT * more money to buy.

Even by Korean standards this seems pretty devious.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Hanson · Joined: 20 Oct 2004

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

That's a load of crap. Does it say specifically in your contract they will buy the ticket, or does it say they will buy it or refund it depending on their choice?

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

Shortchanging benefits/salaries is a common Korean hakwon tactic. They pay you, but less than the going rate. That way, it is hard for you to say they didn't pay you, and no body will/can help you with the difference.

That happened to me on my return flight last year. School quoted and paid a korean tour company price of 700,000 won to my home country. I couldn't get an airfare for less than 1,100,ooo won though.
I took the money because I was very pleased to get ANYTHING . You should be too.

dreamscape · Joined: 05 Aug 2004

Hey everyone, thanks for all the feedback. My boss called today and said that they would pay the travel agency when I leave Korea. So, although it took a while and a lot of hassle, it seems to have worked out the way it should.

poet13 · Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:48 pm Post subject:

good resolution dreamscape. I hope they follow through with their promise. I would suggest that closer to your leaving date that you follow up with them though, perhaps two or three weeks (2 week advance is usually cheaper...at least in the Americas) in advance asking for your flight details and the ticket, ostensibly so that you can give them to friends and loved ones back home. I would worry that perhaps they would leave it until the very last day, leaving you with the choice of accepting the lesser cash, or worse, with an expired ARC and nothing ....